GOP Rep. To CNN's Carol Carol Costello: "You're Beautiful, But You Have To Be Honest As Well"

GOP Rep. Todd Rokita decided to go on TV Thursday morning to convince CNN’s Carol Costello that the government shutdown is the Democrats’ fault, and that Obamacare is “one of the most insidious laws ever developed by man” (presumably not including slavery, the Holocaust, or much of the Old Testament). But while the conversation was ostensibly about policy and the deficit, Rokita couldn’t manage three and a half minutes without remarking on Costello’s appearance and suggesting that she used her beauty as a means of deceiving people.

After awkwardly remarking that Costello “look[s] much too young” to be a grandmother, Rokita asked if if she had “any idea how much this law is going to cost?”

“Do you know how much it costs every day the government is partially shut down?,” Costello responded. “You’re costing taxpayers millions and millions of dollars!”

Rokita retorted that ObamaCare would cost more than not only the shutdown, but a default on the debt ceiling. Costello disputed this — which she should have, as it’s a preposterous claim — and said that “most Americans would say fight that fight separate from the federal budget.” The congressman responded by blaming Costello.

“No, you’re part of the problem. The media’s part of the problem as well,” he said with a grin.

“Ugh, come on,” Costello said, rolling her eyes. “That’s so easy.”

“Carol, you’re beautiful, but you have to be honest as well,” Rokita replied.

So, to recap: Costello knows she’s an attractive woman, and uses her knowledge of this to trick people into thinking the government shutdown is Republicans’ fault when, in fact, it’s her fault! How devious!

Costello, perhaps recognizing that the conversation could only go downhill from there, ended the interview there, prompting Rokita to giggle boyishly.